Conversing using his lens

Noted cinematographer Anil Mehta used the Varicam Pure at varied temperatures while shooting for an upcoming Bollywood movie ‘Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar’ at Delhi, Jhulaghat and Uttarakhand. He was delighted with the overall experience

In his almost two-decade long career as a cinematographer Anil Mehta has gathered many accolades – he won the National Award for Best Cinematography for ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ in 2000, and IIFA and Guild Award for Best Cinematography for ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’.

According to him, translating words into evocative images is a challenge for any artist, more so for a cinematographer today, when there is a constant bombardment of visuals around us. But Mehta, who has wielded the camera for films like Lagaan, Veer-Zaara, Rockstar, Cocktail, Highway, and Badlapur said that he has always gone with the spirit of the movie and his gut instinct when it comes to how he shoots. While he did stress that despite being recognised as a skill, cinematography is still underrated, he also emphasised, “A film is never made with just good and pretty shots. It is made with narrative, and you should accept this.”

Currently this ace cinematographer is shooting for upcoming Bollywood movie ‘Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar’. This movie was Mehta’s first time experience with the Varicam Pure camera. He used it in varied temperatures while shooting at Delhi, Jhulaghat and Uttarakhand, he was delighted with overall experience. When a cinematographer of Mehta’s calibre – who has consistently displayed to give a veritable visual identity to a director’s vision, gives good feedback about camera – one knows that it has to be good.